| From the Richmond Dispatch |
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| July 9, 1864 |
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| History of Wilson's raid |
| The correspondent of the Philadelphia
Inquirer, under date of July 2d, gives that journal quite a lengthy
account of Wilson's recent raid upon the Richmond & Danville
Railroad. The force which was engaged were the divisions of Wilson and
Kantz, numbering about 6,000 men, under command of the former, and
sixteen pieces of artillery. He says: |
| With this force Gen Wilson set out at 1 A
M on the 22d of June, starting from the vicinity of Prince George
Court House. He crossed the [Petersburg] and
Weldon Railroad {the Petersburg RR} at
Reams's Station, at which point Col Chapman, with the Second brigade
of Wilson's own division, had a skirmish with a small force of the
enemy, which, however, was easily driven. The expedition moved by way
of Dinwiddie Court House toward Petersburg and, on the south side of
the railroad, which they struck at Ford's Mills, near Sutherland's
Station. They then moved down the road, Gen Kantz in advance, as far
as Ford's Station, destroying the road as they moved. At Ford's
Station they captured two trains, comprising sixteen cars, with the
locomotives, laden with refugees leaving Petersburg. After destroying
the depot and captured trains, the command bivouacked at Ford's
Station for the night. |
| Early on the morning of the 23d they
resumed their march, Gen Kantz still in advance. Near Nottoway Court
House a force of rebel cavalry, comprising two brigades, appeared on
the right flank of the column while moving some distance south of the
railroad. Col Chapman of the 2d brigade, formed in line and engaged
the enemy. |
| This was about 3 P M, and the rencontre
continued till nearly night, when the enemy was forced back. Gen Kantz,
who had passed before the enemy had appeared, proceeded the same
evening to Burkeville, the junction of the Petersburg with the
Richmond & Danville railroad. Here he destroyed all the depots,
railroad switches, and appurtenances, and tore up the road as far as
possible, in every direction from the Junction, after which he rested
for the night. |
| Gen Wilson, who, with the remainder of his
force, had bivouacked at Nottoway Court House, on the afternoon of the
24th, advanced across the country to Neberris Station, on the Danville
Railroad, to meet Gen Kantz, who was to meet him at that place,
destroying the road as he advanced. After forming a junction at that
station the entire force advanced to Keysville and there bivouacked.
The work of destruction was resumed early on the 25th and by 8 P M we
had reached the vicinity of Staunton Bridge, on the Staunton river,
having completely destroyed every foot of railroad to that point. The
distance from Burkesville, measured on the map, is about thirty-five
miles, and adding to portions of the Southside road which were
destroyed, the aggregate would not be less than fifty miles and
probably more than that distance. |
| The Danville road was constructed in a
fashion known to some extent in the extreme West, but now little used;
instead of ordinary T rail, solid beams of wood, technically called
stringers, are placed upon the ties, and along their inner edges are
firmly fastened long strips of iron, known as strap rails.
The stringers were of yellow pine, and being perfectly dry, it was
only necessary here and there to place a few rails
from an adjoining fence, ignite them, and set the entire structure in
a blaze. Miles of railroad might have been seen at a time in flames,
and at night the whole canopy of the heavens was one glare of light.
By day the conflagration, adding to the already suffocating
temperature of the atmosphere, rendered the heat utmost intolerable,
and many people living in the vicinity of the railroad were obliged to
leave their homes and settle in cooler localities. |
| The rear of our column moving past the
fires kindled by the advance, was often compelled to leave the road
and move at a respectful [distance] on the
right or left, until after a little experience the plan was adopted of
leaving depots and other buildings to be fired by those in the rear.
The mode in which this work of destruction was accomplished was to
dismount a portion of the command and march them parallel with the
railroad; face a regiment at a time toward the road, have them advance
and ignite the section of road in their front, and then resume the
march. It was but the work of a few minutes for a regiment to perform
its part, and the whole was accomplished nearly as fast as the column
could move. ***** |
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